Matra Sports Cars

Cars.

Motorbooks 500 Series, with the Crestline imprint. This exciting series of promotional books offers the same high quality you've come to expect from the world's largest publisher of transportation titles. All original titles, including contemporary design and aggressive promotional pricing. "Sports Cars highlights the best cars of the high-performance experience. They look great, drive superbly, and go faster than other cars on the road. This book is a photographic celebration of the greatest cars ever made. From the groundbreaking Porsche 911, to the classic creations of the Italian firms Ferrari and Lamborghini, this book features all of the best sports cars. A series of chapters deals with the breed chronologically, from the prewar World War II roots right up to the present day.

More than 1,000 photographs in b&w and color illustrate the extraordinary variety of sports cars that have been offered to the public. All the great names are featured, including cars from Israel, Egypt, Spain, Switzerland, Norway and Brazil.

Production of the Matra Djet sports car began in 1965 with just a few hundred cars being sold in Europe. In the meantime their Formula 3 cars were having some success on the racetrack. The Djet 5 soon became the Djet 5S. The M530 was introduced in 1967 and sold through Simca, later owned by Chrysler. The Bagheera introduced the revolutionary three-seater configuration with the engine positioned transversely behind the driver. There were various engine changes during the next few years with Chrysler adding the Rancho in the late 1970s. Peugeot took over the European arm of Chrysler in 1978 and the Bagheera ceased to be imported into the UK in 1979. The three-seater idea was continued with the Murena. This is a book of contemporary road and comparison tests, technical & specification data, driver's impressions, history profile. Models covered include: Sports, Djet 5, Formula 2, M530, MS84, 660 Le Mans, MS120, Bagheera, Bagheera S, Rancho, Murena.

In 1965, Colin Chapman persuaded Ford to underwrite development of a V8 for the new 3000cc Grand Prix formula. Built by Cosworth, the new DFV engine won Lotus four World Championship Grands Prix in 1967. A year later, and now available to other constructors, the engine began its domination of Grand Prix racing.

The complete encyclopedia of classic sports cars with informative text and over 750 color photographs.

This one-of-a-kind reference work provides essential data on some 10,700 manufacturers of automobiles, beginning with the earliest vehicle that might be so termed (Frenchman Nicolas Cugnot's steam carriage, in 1770) and covering all nations in which automobiles have been built--67 in all. Not an encyclopedia or collection of histories, this is instead a very complete registry providing essential facts about the manufacturers: complete name, location, years active, type(s) of vehicles built, and other basic data. Compiled during more than 30 years of research, this reference even lists companies that produced just one car. Any builder of passenger-carrying vehicles on at least two but no more than eight wheels, of any design, either mass produced or built as one-off specials, experimental cars, prototypes, or kit cars, is included. Builders of internal combustion, steam and electric powered vehicles are all covered; companies that built only trucks, buses, racing cars, or motorcycles are not included. From A.A.A. to Zzipper and Argentina to Yugoslavia, this is an astonishingly comprehensive resource.

Whether you’re enjoying a special journey across the channel with friends or a club, or looking to include automotive-themed locations in your family holiday, this guide shows you how to combine them with a gourmet meal, wine tasting at a château – or just relaxing on the beach! Full of practical, clear, easy-to-find information, this is the ideal companion when planning a trip, or as an on-the-road reference book. Divided into five regions – Paris & the Île-de-France, Western France, Southern France, Central France & the Alps, and North-East France – each chapter contains a wealth of detailed information for the auto enthusiast. With sections on museums, classic and modern car shows, automobilia, buying car parts, historic and modern motorsport events, and race circuits, each entry is illustrated in full colour. This unique guide provides you with all you need to know to enjoy a visit to France with a motoring twist – when to go, how to get there, and where to find out more.